New Order in 1983

In the Summer of ’83 I went to the USA to cover New Order’s first headline tour. It involved: missed flights; melonball cocktails; Hooky missing the beginning of the DC gig with manager Rob Gretton having to play the first three numbers in his place; sitting on the roof-terrace at NYC ‘superclub’ Danceteria watching an unknown Madonna perform more or less exclusively for us; an all-night video shoot for ‘Confusion’; plenty of confusion in the style of a Brian Rix farce; missed interviews and photoshoots with Rolling Stone; general high jinks from lads (and Gillian), who were finally throwing off the shackles of Joy Division and becoming New Order for real.

Needless to say: I was the only one with a credit card and a driving license, or so it seemed when I was told nobody else was qualified to hire or drive the tour bus. There was so much weed being consumed on the bus, I could barely see through the thick fog of smoke enveloping me. It seemed like five weeks. I think it was five days. It could only get worse. And of course – it did …

Faber Social presents Power, Corruption & Lies and all things 1983 at The Social on 3 June 2013. Tickets available here.